It’s more than a sandwich shop —it’s an experience.
Must Be Heaven Sandwich Shoppe has been a part of Downtown Brenham since 1982, gaining its name from a Blue Bell advertisement from the 1970’s, where Blue Bell said the reason their ice cream tasted so good was “because the cows think Brenham must be heaven.” Now, Must Be Heaven and Blue Bell ice cream are a match made in, well, heaven.
The sandwich shop features a diverse menu with sandwiches, quiches, soups and salads, and of course for dessert — Blue Bell ice cream and pie. Inside, the restaurant hosts a number of knick-knacks and antiques from jukeboxes to wall decor, giving it a nostalgic feel that attracts many guests.
Even the building itself offers a historical count of the town as owners Traci and Charlie Pyle, continue to preserve the history of Must Be Heaven as a Brenham staple.
“It used to be a Western Auto store, and Shirley Syptak, the last owner built it out" Traci says. "They got the ice cream bar from a little place in Huntsville, They made a Western Auto into a restaurant, which I'm sure was probably not easy.”
Those who have been to Must Be Heaven know their signature item by heart — the homemade pies, which the restaurant has baked since its inception in 1982. All pies are available daily with some of the most popular flavors including chocolate, lemon and coconut meringue. They also offer apple, cherry, pecan, peach praline and chocolate chip pecan, which you can also get with a big scoop of Blue Bell ice cream
on top.
“You can buy a whole pie, or you can buy the slices,” Traci says. “All of the whole pies we have are usually available all the time, except for the meringue, which has to be pre-ordered if you want a whole one unless we happen to have some extras.”
From catering events to a nice sit-down lunch, Must Be Heaven has a little something for everyone in the family. For first time visitors, Traci says there are a lot of good options available so deciding what you get for your first time is highly dependent on personal tastes.
“A lot of ladies get the stuffed avocado with chicken salad with fruit or a broccoli salad,” she says. “We have a sandwich called a Texas Monte Cristo, and it's not fried, but it's grilled and it has a sweet pepper jelly on it. We also have a muffuletta that we would put up against any New Orleans muffuletta.”
There are also options for vegans, vegetarians and those with gluten sensitive. "All sandwiches and salads are made to order so it is easy to customize to fit any diet," Traci says.
“We make the food right when you order it, so if you order a sandwich, it's not pre-made. We make it right there with the salads.” For groups or any size or events, Must Be Heaven offers box lunches and sandwich trays.
As a way of giving back to the community, Must Be Heaven utilizes local companies whenever possible.
“We get our coffee from Independence Coffee and we get our sausage from Eckermann's, which is a local sausage,” Traci says. “We do buy local as often as we can."
Wanting to be more than just a place where you can stop for a quick bite, the Pyle's have aimed to ensure that people are amazed with the decor and overall experience when customers walk into the restaurant.
“It's not just your typical sandwich shop,” Traci says. “We definitely want it to be an experience. We have a lot of old stuff in the restaurant like jukeboxes, old refrigerators and old ovens that kids are amazed about."
Looking ahead to the future, Must Be Heaven hopes to continue doing what they do best and serving the Brenham community.
“We've been here for 40 years now,” Traci says. “Downtown Brenham is getting a lot more vibrant, and we are gonna keep on doing what we’re doing. We love being a part of such a great area.”
Must Be Heaven is located at 107 W. Alamo Street in Brenham and is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, except Wednesdays. For more information, visit their website at mustbeheaven.com or call (979) 830-8536.
